Is "love" the most abused word in the English language?

I ask because in the same breath I can say, "I LOVE this can of soda!" and, "I LOVE God!"





It seems like we need something else. Something else to describe how much we care for something...especially when it comes to our spouses and God.





I ask because I'm doing a sermon on this in two weeks...and I like how the Hebrews have many words that describe "love". Especially the "love" that is built on a marriage. THIS love ("Raya", "A'hava", and "Dode") are all built successfully off each other. With "Dode" being the sexual/pleasureable portion that comes WITH marriage ("A'hava" is the love between a husband and wife, and "Raya" is the love between friends).





Maybe I'm rambling here...but I think we abuse our "love" for things. I think the word needs to be broken up into other words.





We can assume our "love" is different...but wouldn't a seperate word be clearer?





Thoughts?





Hope this helps!


Good luck, and may God continue to shine on you.


-Shalom

Is "love" the most abused word in the English language?
I agree that it is abused or mis-used...not so much when you say you "love this can of soda" or when you're describe a certain food that you love.To me that's acceptable and it never phases me if someone or myself says that.I do however think that people are too quick to say "I love you" sometimes.Sometimes I have acquaintances,or co-workers that say that to me or other people without really knowing me/them that well.When it's said to me it's makes me feel uncomfortable...I almost feel obligated to say it back so I don't hurt that persons feelings.It's a damned if you do,damned if you don't kinda thing.If I don't say it back I feel bad....if I do I feel like a fake.....Good question!
Reply:love the question!!





oh wait..now i see what you mean.........
Reply:This question is bound to elicit the usual bleating about language going down the tubes, unthinking use of vocabulary and similar bull. Check your thesaurus under 'love':





adoration, affection, ardor, amourousness, attachment, caring, concern, cherishing, compassion, devotion, enamorment, fancy, favor, fondness, liking, love, lust, passion, tenderness





That's 19 words. Not bad.





And saying you 'love' ice cream or 'love' God is not a misuse of the word. ALL languages are generous with concepts and parsimonious with words. If you want to emphasise your love of God over your love of gravy, nothing stands in your way.





Greeks (I live here) go on about this sort of thing ad nauseam. You cannot say 'agapo to pagoto' (I love ice cream) but you can say 'agapo ton theo' I love God'. Yeah, big deal. You CAN say 'latrevo to pagoto' (I adore/worship ice-cream) and 'latrevo ton theo'.





All meaning depends on context. I don't think anyone seriously believes expressing 'love' for your favourite cheese somehow undermines the use of 'love' for your mother.





Do your sermon on something else. Are you seriously proposing people rifle through a thesaurus before they decide which words to apply to god/their daughter/strawberry yogurt?





.................





Physician, what a bloody dumb comment that is.
Reply:Now you say it I think yes!
Reply:you are totally right!!!!!!








I agree with you
Reply:No. What I have seen is the most abused word is "money"





Besides, english is appropriate for sciences, but for love ?





It would be like giving a lecture on quantum physics





english speaking people make love strictly according to the law, and since it is illegal almost always........
Reply:Amen!
Reply:Couldn't agree more.





Our language has become sloppy and I'm not saying that as a prissy grammarian or proscriptive linguist--but when our words have lost meaning because we use them in so many inappropriate situations.





If we payed more attention to the words we used, if we spoke the things that we actually felt and thought, then we would all be a lot closer to understanding and accepting one another.
Reply:Yes! It definitely is!





= )
Reply:I agree with you. We have just done this topic in R.S. You could use the greek words for Love: agape, storge, pillios and eros. These all have different meanings e.g. sexual attraction, brotherly love, friendship love etc. But yes the word love is definatley abused. We use the same word for chocolate as we do for God or our parents and it is ridiculous.
Reply:I believe so. In spanish there's different ways to say the word love and used in "different levels of love". In dutch is sort of the same however our words are more exact...if that makes any sense. English needs to catch up =)
Reply:Love it. Like it. Well.....You know!